University of Utah
Nanotechnology
Marc Porter
Mission: Develop infinitesimal biosensors geared toward detection of pancreatic cancer and other diseases in which early detection reduces mortality rates.
Diagnostic imaging
Deborah Yurgelun-Todd, Perry Renshaw
Mission: Use magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy to better understand mental illness and substance abuse.
Imaging technology
Guido Gerig
Mission: Study brain development in children through neuroimaging to create models for healthy development so doctors will be able to detect pathologies earlier in a person's life. Improve data interpretation of the massive amounts of data generated by MRI scans and evaluate the therapeutic effects of new drugs.
Biomedical devices
Hamid Ghandehari
Mission: Develop polymers to better target toxic therapies at cancer cells.
John White
Mission: Develop implants to predict the onset of epileptic seizures so they can be prevented by sending electrical signals to the brain.
Personalized medicine
Faculty to be hired
Circuits of the brain
Julie Korenberg
Mission: Study how genetic cognitive disorders, such as Down and Williams syndromes, affect brain circuitry to learn how these disabilities can be treated.
Fossil energy
Brian McPherson
Mission: Learn how to "sequester" greenhouse gases in underground geological formations.
Utah State University
Nutrition
David York, Michael Lefevre, David Ward
Mission: Study how people respond differently to food in order to learn ways to tailor individuals' diets to reduce risk of obesity, heart disease and other health problems. Isolate health-promoting properties of certain foods.
Active imaging and sensing
Allen Howard
Mission: Deploy lidar technology, which operates like radar, but with laser pulses to measure distances instead of radio waves, for a variety of industrial applications, including siting wind farms, controlling emissions, visualizing terrain in ways that enable rapid replacement of bridges, runways and other infrastructure.
Biofuels
Jeff Muhs, Sridhar Viamajala
Mission: Study ways to maximize biomass production of oil-rich algae for use in alternative fuels.
